Chapter 185: The Finale
Hearing that Hua Yun, such a busy man, had agreed to come record the last episode of Qin Linlin's "Don't Look Back in the Dark", Yin Chengjue was quite surprised.
Because from what he knew, currently the Hua family should be busy with internal power struggles. After all, there was only a fixed amount of wealth to go around, and Old Master Hua had reached an age where he could pass away at any time.
Old Master Hua had many romantic entanglements in his youth, so his mistresses and illegitimate children were numerous. But faced with the Hua family's vast fortune, if it were divided equally among everyone, what each person ended up with wouldn't be much—at least, that's how it would seem to those accustomed to a life of luxury.
Thus, Old Master Hua decided that, regardless of being a legitimate or illegitimate child, the most outstanding son would inherit his entire fortune. Those who failed would each receive fifty million.
Going from a share worth billions to being brushed off with fifty million—how could his children possibly accept that? Furthermore, Old Master Hua was already advanced in years, and his sons and daughters had all established their own families. They had children of their own, and some even had grandchildren.
The fifty million, when divided among several generations, was nowhere near enough to fill the cracks between their teeth.
They fought fiercely, their eyes blazing with greed, each determined to get a share of Old Master Hua's assets.
Hua Yun's father was one of these fighters.
Therefore, Yin Chengjue couldn't figure out how Hua Yun still had time to come record a variety show.
"Hehehe, because I told him the theme for this final episode is love~" Qin Linlin's smile was full of excitement. "I've already written the script. You all just need to fully enjoy the game! I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"
Yin Chengjue then became interested. "About love? Isn't your show all about creating a horror atmosphere? Suddenly changing the style for the finale, is that okay?"
"Who said I'm changing the style? Can't love have horror elements?" Qin Linlin shook a finger in front of Yin Chengjue. "You all still don't understand me well enough!"
Yin Chengjue: "So, what are you planning? Let me state upfront, I've been very busy lately. If your reason can't convince me, I won't go."
Qin Linlin: "Not even for Xiao Yu?"
Yin Chengjue: "It's not like I can only see him on a variety show."
Qin Linlin: "But, don't you want to kiss Xiao Yu openly and properly on the show?"
Yin Chengjue: "...Are you crazy?"
"Tsk tsk tsk, sounds like you don't get what I mean. Let me tell you, people are strange like this. The more something is fake, the more they insist it's real. The more something is real, the more they try to hide and conceal it." Qin Linlin's tone carried a hint of helplessness.
Yin Chengjue: "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Qin Linlin: "Isn't it clear enough? The more you hide it, the more people will think something's going on. On the contrary, if you openly flirt, people will instead think it's just promotional marketing. Don't you watch dramas often? In romance dramas, the male lead and the second male lead progress from holding hands and hugging to lifting each other up, then stumble into a deep, locked-gaze kiss after an accidental fall. Later, they might even share a warm bath together. Because they're two men, they don't avoid going shirtless, and even casually pinch each other's muscles, comparing and checking them out. If injured, they can treat each other and share a bed."
Qin Linlin: "In short, the male lead and second male lead in romance dramas do everything they should and shouldn't do, making the female lead seem like just an extra bystander. In contrast, the dual male leads in adapted BL dramas become brothers, steadfast good brothers. Whether it's official announcements or fan promotions, they all use the same 'brotherhood' promotional script, waving flags and shouting about pure brotherly feelings. If any marketing account dares to mention the word 'love', the original novel fans, drama fans, and actor fans will swiftly arrive, take aim, snipe, report for black marketing, and take them out in one wave."
Qin Linlin: "What does this show? It shows that the more you conceal, the more people want to peel back your layers. The more open you are, the less interest people have in digging into you."
Yin Chengjue: "..." You have a lot to say, you win.
Qin Linlin's tone suddenly became excited: "So, for this finale episode, I've arranged many horror elements. As long as you're willing to cooperate, have Xiao Yu scream 'I'm so scared' and then 'slip underfoot', falling into your arms, wouldn't that allow for a public kiss?"
Yin Chengjue: "...To be honest, I simply cannot imagine Rong Yu shouting 'I'm so scared'."
Qin Linlin: "As for the horror segments, you can boldly leave them to us!"
Yin Chengjue: "...Alright then."
Qin Linlin: "Great!"
After getting Yin Chengjue's definite agreement, Qin Linlin immediately asked Sally about Rong Yu's recent schedule.
For the final episode, Qin Linlin wanted to invite the original cast from the trial broadcast of "Don't Look Back in the Dark". Most of these people were idle young masters. As long as the schedules for Rong Yu, Liu Qingling, and Yang Ji overlapped with the times Hua Yun and Yin Chengjue could provide, they could start filming immediately, even ahead of time.
Upon learning the situation, Sally immediately laid out Rong Yu's schedule.
Qin Linlin then went to ask Liu Qingling and Yang Ji, finally scheduling them to report next Wednesday and spend two days recording.
"This is the finale of the first season of 'Don't Look Back in the Dark'! We have to go big!" Qin Linlin created a group chat, added all the participants, tagged everyone with an @-mention, and declared their impending success with confidence.
Those who joined the group gradually sent celebratory emojis.
Qin Linlin: This game's background is a bit complex. I've compiled everyone's character settings into files and am sending them out now. Please take a look first, then we'll roll dice in the group to choose roles.
After sending the message, several files were updated in succession. Yin Chengjue casually opened one and found it written—Mutation Crisis.
Yin Chengjue: "..." Why do I already know the content just from seeing this title?
Under the main title was a subtitle—Survival, or Mutation, That is a Question Worth Pondering!
Story Background: This is a sealed underground laboratory, closed for ten long years and left unattended. It wasn't until recently, when someone planned to requisition this land, that they remembered there was an abandoned underground laboratory here and wanted to demolish and fill it for reconstruction.
It was at this time that the "Don't Look Back in the Dark" treasure-hunting team received a commission letter requesting them to send a few people to help search for something called "Water of Life" in that old laboratory about to be demolished.
The letter was signed "Dr. Fu".
This Water of Life seems very important to Dr. Fu, as he enclosed a key, an access card, and a bank card with the password in the envelope along with the commission letter. The card contained a considerable sum as a deposit.
The letter also stated that if they retrieved the Water of Life for him, he would transfer the final payment into the card, an amount ten times the current sum.
Driven by money, the "Don't Look Back in the Dark" treasure-hunting team set off for the old laboratory.
The treasure-hunting team already knew the old laboratory would be demolished in three days. Once the demolition machinery arrived, one scoop would certainly destroy everything in the underground lab, and the seemingly precious Water of Life might be lost. So they decided to go two days early, hoping to obtain the client's desired Water of Life before the lab's demolition.
Thus, three treasure-hunting team members set off grandly.
Simultaneously, the "Don't Look Back in the Dark" detective agency also received a commission letter signed by Dr. Fu, also asking them to go to the old laboratory and enclosing a main door key, an access card, and a bank card. However, the task was not to find the Water of Life, but to investigate the true culprit who killed Dr. Fu's wife years ago.
Seeing the considerable sum in the bank card, the three detectives also set off.
The six thus met in the old laboratory.
Here's where the game rules differ: because people on the same side this time all know each other's identities and don't need to find their teammates, the difficulty instantly becomes much lower than before.
But if Qin Linlin was willing to let them play a game without using their brains, happily and easily, that was clearly impossible. From the smug emojis Qin Linlin sent, one could see her current joy.
The first to wail in despair was Qin Ke.
This poor older brother, having just returned from enjoying his freedom abroad, was dragged by his little sister to work as labor.
Of course, he had protested, but his parents, urging him to marry, had arranged several blind dates for him.
With no other options, he was forced to plead with his little sister to play along. One could easily imagine the outcome: a prospective partner meeting a man whose family included a troublesome little sister who appeared to harbor a brother complex. Such a scenario was unlikely to lead to a successful match.
Qin Linlin helped her brother fend off countless blind dates. In return, Qin Ke could only obediently come participate in the recording.
And now, Qin Ke discovered that blind dates and recording shows were equally brain-taxing.
WeChat Group Chat—
Qin Ke: A mole?! Just when I finally know who my teammates are, you tell me there's a mole?! There are only three people on a team, and you tell me one of the three is a mole?
Qin Linlin: Bro, I'm sitting right next to you. Please don't type with such a ferocious expression on your face, thank you. Your blind date is still watching you from across the table.
Qin Ke: Do you think I'm blind? She's clearly looking at you, okay? Go for it, little sis! Use your acting skills to make her back off! Your brother's freedom depends on you!
Others in the group: ...
Alright, these two are still at the blind date table.
Lei Miao: Xiao Qinzi, you better be more careful. I heard you bring Linlin to every blind date now. Be careful someone falls for your sister.
Qin Ke: Hahaha! How is that possible! Are you trying to kill me with laughter?
Qin Ke: ...
Qin Ke: Damn it! She just said my sister is cute! But my sister has been playing the role of my difficult little sister the whole time!
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